Reading Area Green Christian Local Group

We are a group of about 40 Christians of various denominations from Reading and the surrounding area. We currently meet via Zoom every two to three months and warmly welcome new members – email us on reading@greenchristian.org.uk to find out more.

Our primary purpose is to support each other in the work we are doing in our churches, but we also occasionally organise events together. You can also find us on Facebook and join our Facebook group.

FORTHCOMING EVENT

From Energy Efficiency to Net Zero

RESOURCING EVENT FOR CHURCHES IN READING

CHAIRED BY BISHOP MARY GREGORY

Monday 1 June 2026, 7pm – 9pm

St Laurence Church, Friar Street, RG1 3EJ

7pm Doors open: marketplace and refreshments. Stalls include Heat Hack, Reading Community Energy, EcoChurch, Green Christian, Global Justice Now

7.30pm Talks begin: Bishop Mary Gregory – ‘Introduction and Theological Reflection’; Dr Tim Stockdale (ECMWF) – ‘Climate Crisis: what is the science telling us now?’; Matt Fulford (Inspired Efficiency) – ‘From Energy Audit to Action’ + Q&A; Alison Riggs (Diocese of Oxford) – ‘Net Zero Carbon Grants’ + Q&A

8.35pm Networking – meet people from local churches who have already installed sustainable technology and/or successfully applied for grants

To find out more, or book your free place, email reading@greenchristian.org.uk

Please note, there is no car parking on site. It is a short walk from the train station where most Reading bus routes also stop. There is ample parking for bikes.

Our activities

A couple of our members are creating a range of leaflets for use in local churches with suggestions for action, prayer and discussion on a range of topics: Food, Pollution, Climate Change, Reducing Plastic, Respecting Each Other, Sustainability, Plastic, Waste, Conserving Energy and Biodiversity. If you would like copies of any of these to share with your churches, just email us at reading@greenchristian.org.uk and we would be happy to forward them.

Reducing Waste

We are compiling a list of places where you can buy goods locally with little or no packaging. Please note that inclusion on the list below is not intended as endorsement of the products but as information about zero waste shopping opportunities:

Our joint campaigning is primarily focussed on The Climate and Nature Bill.

We organised hustings for the General Election at Trinity Church, Earley. We asked the candidates about their environmental policies and the Climate and Nature Bill as well as inviting other local people to put their questions. (Photo courtesy of Phil Creighton)

We were part of Reading Climate Festival sharing our local church leaflets.

Churches in the group include St John and St Stephen’s who were shortlisted for the Green Champions Award at the 2024 Church Times Green Awards and have recently become the first gold Eco Church in Oxford diocese.

And St Mary’s Wargrave who were filmed as part of Aljazeera’s Earthrise episode – Believing in Change: Faith and the Mission to Protect our Planet.